Several students from Heaven Dou Academy quickly rushed forward, deftly supporting the injured Ling Xinyao and carefully helping her down from the arena.
As she stepped down, a complicated look flickered through Ling Xinyao's eyes. She gently pressed a hand to her chest, keeping the pain off her face as she fixed her gaze on Chen Xiaojun.
Her lips moved slightly, her voice quiet but firm. "Peerless Young Master, Hongchen Siming, I, Ling Xinyao, will remember what happened today."
At her words, Chen Xiaojun bowed slightly, offering a salute to express his respect and apology to Ling Xinyao.
Once she had left the arena, the students of Heaven Dou Academy immediately gathered around her, asking anxiously, "Senior Ling, how are your injuries? Are they serious?"
Ling Xinyao shook her head gently and closed her eyes.
Just then, Ge Tianhao's voice rang out from the crowd at a thoroughly inappropriate moment. "Ling Xinyao, you mocked me earlier, only to go up there yourself and lose so miserably."
Hearing the mockery dripping from Ge Tianhao's words, Liu Dieyun frowned and snapped in disgust, "Ge Tianhao, shut your mouth!"
As she spoke, she gently helped Ling Xinyao sit down. Old Li, the healer, hurried over as well to examine Ling Xinyao's injuries carefully.
Yun Luo was even less restrained in rebuking Ge Tianhao. "Nobody will mistake you for a mute if you keep your mouth shut."
Ge Tianhao had always thought highly of himself. He was rather chauvinistic and never watched his mouth, which had long made him unpopular with these top female students.
Provoked by the two girls' words, he sneered disdainfully. "Hmph, this is all you girls amount to. The three of you are supposedly the Middle Division's strongest female students, yet between you, you couldn't even last a few moves.